Acadian Ambulance responds to heat-related illnesses

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - During Saturday’s Red White and Blue Airshow in Monroe, Acadian Ambulance took care of nearly 30 patients due to the extreme heat. Acadian Ambulance said one of the reasons for the increase of heat-related illnesses at the airshow is because if it’s 90 degrees outside, it’s going to feel like 130 degrees or more on the tarmac.

“We had a lot of overheated patients, a lot of dehydrated patients, they didn’t take into account very hot weather, plus standing on the airplane tarmac, that makes the heat increase significantly,” said David Hubbard at Acadian Ambulance.

Plus, they had another 40 people come into their AMBUS, which can hold 17 stretcher patients, to cool off in the air conditioning.

“Fainting, near fainting, just overheated, their skin was super hot, some were sweating, which is a good thing, but some were not sweating which is a bad thing, because you’re going towards heat stroke, heat exhaustion,” said Hubbard.

Acadian Ambulance ended up taking one person to the hospital. Physician Assistant John Evans said most patients with a heat-related illness head straight to the emergency room, but he said things like heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be prevented.

“A lot of these injuries, these heat-related injuries, can be handled very conservatively in otherwise healthy individuals, just kind of getting cool, and getting hydrated is the name of the game for, especially young healthy people,” said Evans.

Evans said if you are outside in the hot Louisiana heat, cramping in your legs is one of the first warning signs of overheating.

“After that, heat exhaustion, you’re going to be sweating a lot and might get a little dizzy especially if changing positions, going from seated to standing up, getting very dizzy, that’s kind of another warning shot that you should get cooled down, get hydrated,” said Evans.

After heat exhaustion, comes heat stroke.

“You’re not sweating anymore, your temperature is very high, you have a strong radio pulse but it may be really weak, your body is trying to compensate, but it’s failing and that’s when it becomes a life-threatening temperature,” said Hubbard.

Just this month, Acadian Ambulance has already taken care of 207 patients with heat-related emergencies company-wide.

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